1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sunshades for vehicles and more particularly to a sun shade for protecting the seat and steering wheel of an automobile when the vehicle is not in use.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are a number of sunshades or sunscreens that have been advanced in the prior art. Most of these are positioned over the forward windshield, the back window, or the side windows of the vehicle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,074, issued to A. J. Castellano, discloses a sun screen that includes a plurality of sections adapted to assume a generally planar configuration when extended and a compact configuration when folded in an accordion-like manner. Adjacent sections are coupled in a hinge-like manner by linear arrays of perforations to facilitate folding of the sun screen, which may then be retained in the folded configuration by an elastic strap disposed thereabout. An upper, median portion of the sun screen includes a narrow slot extending downward from an upper edge along the center, linear array of perforations and terminates in a circular aperture. A second plurality of linear arrays of perforations are disposed radially about an upper portion of the aperture, terminating in the upper edge of the sun screen. The circular aperture is adapted to receive a rearview mirror support member mounted on or adjacent to the windshield by inserting the mirror support through the aforementioned slot. The radial perforations allow the sun screen adjacent to the aperture to flex for insertion of the mirror support through the slot and into the aperture, then allowing the sun screen to assume its generally planar configuration following mirror support insertion such that the slot again narrows. The mirror support is thus securely engaged by the aperture for maintaining the sun screen disposed over and in close proximity to the inner surface of the windshield. The sun screen is preferably comprised of a lightweight, opaque, semi-rigid material such as cardboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,192,967, issued to S. E. L. Huang, discloses a collapsible automobile shade formed of fabric that pivots about a pivot point, or a pair of pivot points, as in its larger embodiment, and which are expandable into a shaped configuration for adherence, as through usage of a suction cup, double face tape, or other forms of securement, to the interior of in automobile windshield, when installed, to prevent the entrance of sunlight and sun rays. The shade may be disassembled, collapsed about its pivotal ribs, into a closed configuration, in preparation for storage, as within the glove compartment of a vehicle. An alternative embodiment to the shade includes its fabrication from a flexible material, that has inherent memory, containing a series of aligned flutes, which can be expanded to form a shade of multiple shaped configurations, but due to the inherent memory of the fluted material, can be contracted by alignment of its adjacent flutes, into a compact position, and even folded into compact closure, also for storage within the glove compartment of a vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,262, issued to E. L. Huang, discloses a sunshade comprising a single elongated loop of a thin strip of spring-like material covered by a sheet of one or more layers of a flexible material. The shape of the elongated loop can vary from a generally rectangular shape with slightly rounded corners to an oval or generally elliptical shape. One or both of the two major surfaces of the sheet are adapted to reflect light and heat radiation from the sun. In its normally open configuration, the sunshade is placed against the inside surface of an automobile windshield or window with a reflective surface facing outward. The single elongated fabric-covered loop of the sunshade can be easily twisted and folded into a compact configuration consisting of a series of smaller concentric loops and fabric layers. The sunshade may additionally comprise a means for maintaining the compact configuration for storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,256, issued to R. J. Pawsey et al, discloses a collapsible sun shade, including: a shade; at least two supports, each support having a first end and a second end, with the second end of each support coupled to the shade at spaced-apart locations thereof; and a connector coupled to the first end of each support. The shade is adapted to assume an unstable equilibrium position in which the supports and the shade are substantially coplanar with the connector, a collapsed position when the shade and supports are on one side of the unstable equilibrium position in which the shade is folded, and a deployed position when the shade and supports are on the other side of the unstable equilibrium position in which the supports and the shade are expanded.
Most of these prior art sunshades provide limited coverage over the vehicle seat unless multiple units are used and some require complicated mechanisms. As will be disclosed below, the present invention is an inexpensive, compact means for conveniently shading the steering wheel and seat region of the vehicle seat.
In a broad aspect, the present invention is a vehicle seat and steering wheel sunshade including a main covering and at least one side panel. The main covering includes a front portion for covering a steering wheel region of a vehicle, a rear portion for covering a seat back region of a vehicle seat, and an intermediate portion between the front portion and the rear portion for covering a seat region of the vehicle seat. The at least one side panel depends from the main covering for providing enhanced covering of the vehicle seat.
The front portion and the rear portion attach to the steering wheel and seat back regions of the automobile. The intermediate portion is suspended above the seat and thus provides enhanced coverage of the entire seat region.
The present invention shades substantially the entire seat, cooling it and protecting the seat from fading. The space provided between the sunshade and the seat region can be used to hide items, for example briefcases and packages, when the vehicle is not being operated. The present invention is particularly useful for SUVs that do not have covered trunk space.